Hybrid vehicles are attracting attention as environment-friendly vehicles. A hybrid vehicle incorporates a power storage device, an inverter, and an electric motor driven by the inverter, in addition to a conventional internal combustion engine, as the power source for traction.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-39989 (PTD 1) discloses an output control device for controlling the battery output in a hybrid car such as the aforementioned type. A hybrid car includes an engine, and starting means that can start the engine in association with charging/discharging of the traction battery. The output control device allows output from a battery until a predetermined excessive output that exceeds the rated output is achieved when the required output from the battery based on the driver's request exceeds the rated output or at the time of starting the engine.
According to this output control device, the performance of the automobile can be improved by exhibiting further the battery performance (refer to PTD 1).